Graduate Special

Preparation for Advanced Degree

The University of Nevada, Reno offers an undergraduate program leading to the B.S. degree in Speech Pathology & Audiology which is the preprofessional program. The master's degree with a major in Speech Pathology is essential for professional competence in the field. Students who have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited, four-year educational institution in a major other than speech pathology and audiology will need to complete a speech pathology and audiology sequence of undergraduate courses prior to enrollment in the master's program. These students have the classification of Graduate Special. Classification as graduate special does not constitute admission to graduate standing in the graduate school. Graduate special students do not need to earn another bachelor's degree from this undergraduate program; however, they must take a prescribed sequence of prerequisite courses necessary to apply to the graduate program. The undergraduate sequence of courses must be taken in a specified sequence to be completed in one academic year. All of these classes must be taken prior to beginning the graduate program. In addition to the prerequisite, departmental undergraduate courses, other general education courses (i.e., biological sciences, physical sciences, social/behavioral sciences, and mathematics) may be required if such courses were not part of the student's undergraduate degree program.

The graduate special student will explore the basic human communication and swallowing processes of biological, neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural bases. Additionally, the graduate special student will study the nature of speech, language, hearing, and communication disorders and differences and swallowing disorders. Other areas of study will include principles of prevention, assessment, and treatment for people with communication disorders, contemporary professional issues in the field, and professional standards for practice. The graduate special student must complete 25 hours of clinical observation prior to beginning the graduate program. This opportunity will be provided in the in the department's extensive in-house Speech Pathology & Audiology clinic. All training in this graduate special sequence is in preparation for enrollment in a graduate program of study.